A new semiconductor company, Ambiq Micro, is claiming that its methods of building chips can dramatically increase overall efficiency thanks to leveraging a technique called subthreshold computing. Could this dramatically improve battery life in next-generation wearables?

Texas Instruments launched its ARM-powered BeagleBone Black PC today, and it packs an impressive feature set that is sure to get enthusiasts’ attention. The successor to the original BeagleBone, the Black comes with faster hardware, lower power requirements, and a surprising $45 price point.

The Arduino Esplora is a brand new do-it-yourself gamepad being released through retail channels. This is a perfect my-first-Arduino project because it doesn’t require manipulating a breadboard, or even any soldering. If you’ve been eyeing Arduino for a while, but you’ve been too worried about the difficulty, this is the project for you. Read up about the platform, grab the Esplora, and start hacking away.

Earlier this year a small single board computer stamped with chips and I/O connectors — with the tasty name of Raspberry Pi — began receiving a great deal of press coverage. It has since become a computing phenomenon and one of the hottest hardware products of the year.

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